Safe Parking Lots: Driven by Volunteers

With thirteen SafeLots in five Metro Denver counties, the Colorado Safe Parking Initiative (CSPI) provides a safe overnight space to park for people who are currently living in their vehicles. These lots help more than 100 people every night rest easier, knowing they won’t be moved along by the authorities or disturbed for other reasons. With a safe place to rest comes the increased ability to handle other parts of their lives, including work, health care, and saving money to return to more permanent housing. 

5

Metro Denver Counties

13

Safelots

100

People Helped

This life-changing work is driven, in large part, by the efforts of a dispersed and dedicated cadre of volunteers. Eleven of the thirteen SafeLots are hosted by churches, and each of these congregations has a team volunteers leading the way. 

In Arvada, Tom Olschner works on a team from his church that helps make sure people are welcomed into the lot and have what they need to feel safe. Last year, they installed electricity in the lot, and they’re now providing small space heaters and Reflectix thermal insulation for their guests to put in their car windows. “Helping with the SafeLot is fulfilling at several levels,” says Tom. “The primary one is seeing what a difference it makes to our guest parkers. We did a needs assessment last year, and what was most helpful to people was just having a safe place to get a good night’s sleep.”

Nancy Wilson’s Denver church also has a team of volunteers working to support their SafeLot, including members of the congregation who are doctors and social workers. In addition to the lot itself, the church provides a hot meal for guests every Tuesday night, where people can sit down together and build community. “I started out helping to prepare the meal, and when I retired, I wanted to do more,” Nancy says. Now she is one of a core of four leaders who rotate chairing the volunteer committee every three months. “It’s inspiring to see the changes that happen when people come into a community where they’re valued. They start to relax. Then they can focus on goals and getting back to housing and stability.”

In Broomfield, Nathan Heimer is an employee of a church that hosts one of the first SafeLots created in Colorado in 2021. Nathan and his church’s volunteer team work together to coordinate welcoming folks into the lot and helping them stay connected. When asked what he’d say to another church thinking about starting a SafeLot, Nathan is clear. “Most churches are looking for ways to care for those in need. We all have parking lots, so why not use them? If you want long-term solutions, you have to take a step in the right direction. This is a very positive step.”